Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I take on board the Minister's point. However, I have some doubts regarding the sections relating to the admissibility of witness statements. They are mainly to address the fact that witnesses can be intimidated. That is the most important matter because we have seen in several recent high-profile cases that people have been too frightened to give evidence and have retracted statements that they gave genuinely, knowing them to be correct. They have been frightened out of their wits because of intimidation by the thugs involved.

We certainly have no difficulty with the thrust of protecting people from intimidation. However, I appreciate what Senator Tuffy is saying and we must also have safeguards because the last thing we want is for gardaí to be blamed for insisting that statutory declarations be made under duress. As with the Bill as a whole, it is a question of the proper balance.